


What Is Left Unspoken

by GothMilky



Category: Dead by Daylight (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 12:03:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20675084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothMilky/pseuds/GothMilky
Summary: Frank and Joey have become increasingly close to each other due to the mutual life problems they face together. After Frank wins a game for their highschool basketball team, the pair decide to wind down back at his place as celebration. However, Joey's got other things on his mind.





	What Is Left Unspoken

Fairview High was renowned for its selection of prestigious students with their own talents; from the unified cheers coming from the chemistry class to the determined bellows that resonated within the basketball team’s locker room. Frank Morrison was no different in this regard. At the last game of the season, Frank had been putting his all in the entire night. While he and his team had home field advantage, they had started off rough as their opponents began racking up points in the first half. But within time, the relatively fit male, fueled with the rush of adrenaline pumping throughout his body, steadily started to carry his team with every successful shot through the hoop. Each time the rubber of the ball left his slender fingers and swirled down the netting, it was as if being hit with another dose of epinephrine. Teammates gave him a reassuring pat on the arm before they were back at it, while classmates and parents filling the stands roared with school chants. 

As the game came to an end, the Fairview High basketball team achieved a victory that seemed otherwise out of reach at the start. The buzz of time running out filled the gymnasium, shortly followed suit by an uproar of noise that drowned out everything else. Frank had abruptly stopped running as everything finished, his body covered in a thin sheet of sweat as beads slipped down his face. A grin spread across his face as he wildly looked around at his teammates, all feeling a balance of exhaustion and pride. But more importantly, his dark orbs trailed over the shifting bodies in the stands until he spotted a familiar figure coming down the steps to run over to him. A taller male approached with a cheeky smile, throwing an arm around Frank’s shoulders and shaking him back and forth excitedly.

“Woah, woah! Joey, chill! You’re gonna kill me, dude!” Frank exclaimed as Joey reluctantly slowed to a stop.

“I’m sorry, but you basically destroyed them! You were fucking nuts out there!” The dark skinned teen gushed, earning an embarrassed chuckle from the other. Frank hadn’t really been aware of his surroundings for most of the time, as he usually zoned out on everything besides his goal of defending and scoring. But this game was important to their school, it was understandable that everyone seemed so excited. Everyone but Frank. Despite being a useful part of his team, he never particularly felt any pride in the school to begin with. He had joined the sport simply to have things to do, and consequently worked his way up in the ranks. He was simply happy that Joey seemed to admire him so much. After all, he was the only person in this place that really understood him on an overwhelmingly personal level. Looking back to the rest of the basketball team, he knew it was only a matter of time before they wormed their way over to the pair and began the usual after-game spiel. 

Frank averted his gaze to his friend, lowering his voice so only the two of them could hear.

“Yo, we should get out of here. Go celebrate or something. I got some drinks at my place.” At the proposition, Joey was quick to usher Frank towards the doors to get out of the gymnasium while parents were busy praising their worn out children.

“Shit, why didn’t you say that first? Lets go.” He mused.

Joey drove the two of them back to Frank’s home, playfully bumping into each other as they leisurely made their way into his room in the far back of the house. Joey idly stood by as his friend searched the mini fridge next to his bed, scoffing as he realized that Frank had placed a sizeable, filthy cloth over the fridge to disguise it as a sort of nightstand. His room hadn’t changed much since Joey had last been here. Then again, Frank usually preferred to hang out at his house instead, so he never had much time to invest in some interior decoration. Aside from his untidied bed, mini fridge, and various posters of heavy metal bands, most of Frank’s belongings were mixed with Joey’s back at his own place. Or, ‘their’ place, would be more appropriate to say.

The teens had practically, albeit unofficially “moved in” together. Joey’s parents were never home, and Frank was always looking for a reason to not be around his, so their dynamic was perfect and fell into place without either of them having to acknowledge it. Needless to say, this made it much less difficult for them to become close, especially with Joey’s naturally affable personality that meshed well with Frank’s carefree attitude. 

This night was more important, though. To Joey, that is. For weeks leading up to their school’s inevitable final game, he had been going over the same scenario in his head. Going over multiple ways it could turn out, and what he would do if it turned out that way. Not the sports game, but rather the night he would spend winding down with his close friend.

A close friend was an understatement for the older male, though. Frank was much more than that to him. With every night they spent jamming out to music, lazily watching movies, or sobbing through heartfelt conversations, a seed that had been planted deep within Joey grew. Whenever his friend was around, he felt a warm tightness in his stomach that would work its way up to his chest. There was always this feeling in his throat as if he wanted to say something, but no words would come despite his best efforts. So he had kept these intimate thoughts private for some time.

Every time he tried to go over these feelings with himself, he knew exactly how cliché it all sounded. After all, it was obvious what this complex series of emotions were when you put it together. He just refused to acknowledge it. Until some nights ago, when Joey had caught himself absently watching Frank while he was fast asleep, and the rise and fall of his chest with each relaxed breath he took. The teenager always seemed to be stressed about something, even when he attempted to hide it from everyone else. And Joey found the way he could sleep so serenely in spite of this to be attractive. He wasn’t absolutely sure how he came to the conclusion, but all at once it seemed to come together for him. If there were anything he prided himself in, it was his blunt nature. Even if Frank didn’t return his doting feelings, he’d at least find a way to brush it off as some lousy attempt at a prank. Which was where the alcohol would come in.

As if on cue, Frank caught Joey’s attention with the satisfying crackle of a bottle of Corona being opened, taking a long swig before he noticed Joey watching. He beamed mischievously, tossing him a bottle of the bitter drink.

“You look like you need to relax more than I do,” He teased, pressing his lips against the bottle opening as it was steadily emptied. Joey sharply exhaled in amusement, fishing out a bottle opener from his hoodie’s pocket and joining Frank in draining the case of alcohol. 

It wasn’t long before both of them were considerably tipsy, heads swimming with a euphoric buzz. Frank had put in one of his CDs, drunkenly playing an air guitar as Joey cheered him on. The room was all rock music and bubbly laughs while the mood set in, Joey scooting closer to the other while he was having his intoxicated fun. Against his typical decision making, he found himself longing to touch the other. He instinctively reached out to grasp Frank’s arm, struggling to push down laughter.

“Dude… Dude! Seriously, chill for a second. I wanna.. Pfft.. I wanna tell you something!” He stammered past fits of chuckles, the other male reluctantly pulling himself together as he fell back onto the comfort of the bed, the elated mood dispersing into a veil of tension. When Frank looked to Joey, he immediately noticed his serious expression, taking him off guard.

“Yeah? What’s up?” He said, suspecting the other was most likely up to something.

In that moment, everything could have been so simple. But when he was prompted to explain his spontaneous shift in mood, Joey felt that phantom buildup in his throat that kept him from speaking. Admittedly, he felt a lot more brave than he usually did, but that didn’t make the situation any less frightening for him. He felt paralyzed, knowing full well he had already dug the hole he would lie in. He collected himself, reassuring his racing heart that even if he’s shut down, it won’t necessarily ruin anything. He could still make it out to be two guys jesting with each other.

Joey took a long, deep breath.

“How would you feel if I told you I liked you?”

Frank raised his brows inquisitively.

“The fuck do you mean? I thought the whole point of us being friends was liking each other?” He chortled. Joey anxiously returned the laugh, looking away.

“No, I mean, like.. What if I were, you know, into you?” He carefully explained.

“I think that’d be kind of gay.” Frank nonchalantly retorted.

“Asshole.”

A brief silence fell between them for a few beats.

“I dunno. I guess I’d want to know why? You know some pretty personal shit about me, so it’d be surprising to find out you were into me.”

Joey’s hands clammed up, his heart beating wildly against his chest. Perhaps to Frank it was hard to see the appeal in himself, but Joey got to see what he loved about him every day they were together. It would be tedious to describe within such a short time what there was to like about him, and the teen just wanted to get this out while he still had the nerve to speak.

“Doesn’t matter why I’d be into you, just curious how you’d react.”

Frank shifted his position on the bed, moving closer to the other. He gave a playful wink to Joey as he draped an arm over his shoulder momentarily.

“That’s cute, but still kinda gay. I think you drank too much, dude. Actually, I brought my laptop with me this time, do you want to just chill and watch some movies?” Frank went to hop off the bed, before being pulled back by a toned hand. He huffed irritably, looking back to Joey, who had become much more reserved in regards to making any eye contact. “Joey. You’re being weird. I know I can be hot and all sometimes but this really isn’t the time to be getting all mushy and shit.”

At this, Joey’s body had reacted on its own. If he couldn’t portray how he felt through words, then he’d have to show it another way.

He pulled Frank down by his wrist, briskly bringing his hands up to cup the other’s face and leaned in to mold their lips together. Frank froze in place, reflexively pulling away once he brought himself back to reality. The next few seconds felt like an eternity as the two recovered from the impulsive kiss, breathing harshly.

“..You were being serious?” Frank spoke finally, confusion painting his face.

“I-.. I’m so sorry. I just wanted to… I just wanted you to know and.. I’m sorry. I just fucked everything up, didn’t I? God.. I knew I shouldn’t have tried to..” Joey trailed off, tears welling up in his eyes, glistening as they threatened to spill.

Frank rested his hand on the other teen’s thigh, offering a small, reassuring smile. Joey looked up at him, a thin line trailing down his face from a stray tear.

“You didn’t fuck anything up, chill. I.. honestly don’t know what to say. I suppose it goes without saying I wasn’t really expecting this to begin with.” They shared a short chuckle before he continued. “I never really bothered with relationships, they seemed kind of useless to me. But I trust you, Joe. I guess, uh, I like you too?”

The two of them weren’t very good in situations like these, and they accepted that. So instead of prolonging the uneasy atmosphere, Frank was the one to break the ice. He pulled Joey close, snaking his hands around his waist as the other shakily held him in return. With his face nestled against the crook of Joey’s neck, he lowered his voice to a whisper as his breath tickled the teen’s umber brown skin.

“Take care of me from now on then, yeah?” He cooed, brushing his pale lips up the side of his neck, reaching his jawline and planting the ghost of a kiss on it. He felt Joey’s arms shift, before they hugged Frank tighter against his muscular body. 

“I already do,” Came the gentle reply. “Now I just have a reason to kiss you when I do.”

Frank pulled Joey down to lie with him, intertwining their legs as he buried his face into the other’s chest, inhaling the faint, fougere scent of his cologne. It was a scent he was used to, and yet seemed so new now. He distantly wondered what else he would see in a new light after this. It brought about a sense of tranquility for him.

With no need for words, the two held each other close as they let their lingering exhaustion overcome them. 

**Author's Note:**

> Yo I recently got the motivation to write again after getting back into the DBD fandom. I've been incredibly insecure lately about my 'talent', as I struggle with the worry/fear that writing is nothing compared to artwork to a large amount of people.
> 
> However it seems I was looking for validation in the wrong places. So now I'm here, a place where people genuinely want to sit down and read a piece of literature and appreciate the effort put into it.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy. I'd love to write more for this site if this is well recieved.


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